Support or stand for christmas trees or the like.



NT D SEPT. 11, 1906.

11 J. NEFPH f SUPPO-RTOR STAND ,FOROHRISTMAS TREES 0R IT/HE LIKE.

iPPLIpATIOR-ML D NOV.18. 1905."

311001451 I fr/y L I V I? led, as at 5.

, UNITED sm es gr rnnr orrrot HARRY JQ NEFF, OFPHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Applicationfiled November 18, 1905. Serial No, 288,004.

To (all whom it burg concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. N EFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Supports orStands for Christmas Trees or the Like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a support or stand for Christmas-trees and.the like; and the primary object of the same is to provide anorganization of cooperating parts for the purpose set forth simulating atripod having 1nova.blyemn1ccte(l members to adapt the complete deviceto be reduced to compact form for convenience in transportation andstorage when not in use, but also capable of expeditious arrangei'nentfor receiving and reliably supporting a Christmas tree or other devicein upright position.

A further object. of the invention is to provide a support or stand fora Christmas tree or the like composed of strong and durable members of asimple nature.

W ith thcse and other objects and advantagesin view the inventionconsistsin the construction and arrangement of parts which will be morefully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a stand or supportembodying the features of the invention and shown as holding a Christmastree or analogous device in upright position therein. Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the stand or support, showing a portion thereof brokenaway. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail plan views of the upper and lower centermembers of the stand or support. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectionon the line 5 5, Fig. 2, on an cnlargedscale.

Sin'iila'r nu morals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several views 'lhe numerals Y and 2, respectively,designate upper and lower center 1nembcrs,'which are preferably circularin contour and have coinciding central openings 3 of sullicient diameterto permit the easy movementthere through of the trunk of a Christmastree or other device adapted to be supported thereby. The upper member 1has diametricallyopposed arms 4, forming a part thereof and terminallybifurcated or longitudinally slot- The circular body of the member Ialso has formed therein diametricallyopposed openings (5. The member 2,like the I me1nber1,h as a pairofdiainetrically-opposed arms 7 withterminal longitudinal slots or lnfurcations 8, and the circular body thereof is formed with opposite segmental slots 9, of

equal length and adjacentto the arms 7."66"

The center members 1 and 2 are movably connected by coupling orattaching bolts or pins 10, which are passed through the openings 6 andare movable in the slots 9,- the said bolts or pins being headed over atopposite ends againstthe upper side of the 'center member 1 and thelower side of the center.

member 2, as clearly shown by Fig. 0.

In the outer end of each of the arms 4 and 7 it y or leg 11 isintermediatelyfulcruined 7J0?" and has at its upper end an opening 12for the insertion thcrethrcugh of a nail or other fastening 13. It ispreferred that each stay or leg 11 be formed with a lug or boss 14 atits inner edge to fit in the slot or bifurcation of :15} each arm and toreceive a pivot-pm 15, and

thus permit the several stays or legs to be closely folded over on theirrespective arms.

The stays or legs may b f any length. H H sired; but it is proposed togive them such'8o,.-' -:1

longitudinal extent that they will'serve with stability in conjunctionwith the center Inem bers in holding a tree or other device in anupright position.

1n preparing or arranging the stand or sup- 5 port for use the centermember '2 is turned on the center member 1 until the arms 7 are inplanes at right angles to the arms 4. The tree-trunk or other device inthen inserted through the coinciding openings 3, and the legs aredisposed at an angle, as shown by Fig. 1, and secured to the tree-trunkor other device by driving the nails or other fastenings' 13 through theopenings 12 into the treetrunkorotherdevice and thus revent moveinentoofthe said legs and hold the tree or other device in stableuprightposition. When it is desired to remove the tree or other devicefrom the stand or support, the legs 11 are loosened by detaching thenails or fastenings 13, and the center members may be then adjusted soas to bring the arms 4 and 7 in alinement, as well as the legs carriedby said arms. This adjustment and disposition of the cooperating parts,as just set forth, will 5 result in a coinpact reduction of the stand orsupport for convenience in carrying the same or storing it in asmallspace. In View of the capability of reducing the stand or support withina comparatively small compass a large I I number of the stands orsupports may be packed for shipment Within a comparatively smallreceptacle.

The stand or support may be ornamented by painting and embellishing thesame with any preferred design. It ispreferred that the stand or supportbepainted green to render the same consonant in color with a Christmastree; but it will be understood that this is merely a matter of choiceand subject to variation. The stand or support may also 'be used forother purposes, and it is proposed to vary the proportions, dimensions,and 'mi nor details to accommodate various applications thereof.

What I claim is 1. In a stand or support of the class set forth, thecombination ofcenter members, one having segmental slots and a centralopening therethrough and the other a central opening coinciding with thecentral opening of the first-named member and also provided withopenings registering with the segmental slots, means for connecting thetwo members, and stays or legs movably held by the said center members.

2. In a stand or support of the class set forth, the combination ofmovable center members, one of which has segmental slots and a centralope ng therethrough, and the other a central openng coinciding with thecentral opening of the rst-named member and also provided with o 'mingsregistering with said slots, means for I fpvably connecting the members,both members having (hametrically-opposed arms, and stays or'legsmovably held in the outer extremities of said arms.

3. A stand or-support of the class set forth, involving center membersheld in rotatable relation and provided with coinciding centralapertures and diametrically-opposed arms,

and stays or legs movably held by the said armsand having openings intheir upper extremities to receive fastening devices, the device to beheld by the stand or support being inserted through the said apertures.

4. A stand or support of the class set forth, comprising center membersheld in rotatable relation, the one member having segmental slotstherein and. the other provided with openings to register with saidslots, connecting devices extending through the openings and engagingthe slots, and stays or legs movably cooperating with the said centermembers.

5. ha stand or support of the class set forth, the combination of centermembers having coinciding openings and held in rotatable relation, eachcenter member being provided with diametrically-opposed arms with. outerbifurcated extremities, and stays or legs pivotally held in the outerbifurcated extremities of said arms In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY J. NEFF.

WVitnesses JonN MoNEILL, ()nnrsrornnn KORN.

